Home Remedy for Stunted Plants

The Symptoms

• Learn to recognize the symptoms of disease or lack of nutrients. This is the first step in the remedial procedure. According to J.A. Silva, an educator at the University of Hawaii College of Agriculture, there are sixteen essential elements plants require. Of the sixteen, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen are derived from the water or from the atmosphere. The remainder are supplied by the soil, organic matter or fertilizer. To utilize the nutrients, your plant needs sufficient light, enough water, and temperatures must be warm enough for proper development. Plants vary in their nutrient needs. For example, insufficient phosphorus will stunt potato plants. Very dark green leaves are a sign of phosphorus deficiency. Phosphorus supplies energy to the plant, aids in root development and encourages flowering.

Homemade Plant Food

• The lack of sufficient nitrogen hampers a plant's growth and development. Nitrogen combined with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur, creates the amino acids needed for cell division. Reduction in cell division interferes with the production of protein. When the plant is starved of protein, it becomes stunted. Flowering is reduced and early maturity may occur, reducing yield. Fish is high in nitrogen. Make your own plant food with fresh fish trimmings and seaweed. A spoonful or two of Epsom salts adds extra magnesium and sulfur. Place the fish in a five-gallon container. Add a little molasses for carbon, a tablespoonful of vinegar, any vegetable matter such as peelings or grass trimmings, and the seaweed (dried, or fresh off the beach if possible). Cover for two weeks. Then dilute with water (compost to water should be at a 1:5 ratio).

Attacking the Pests

• Compost helps to preserve moisture in the soil and supply the nutrients plants need, but if your plant is attacked by garden pests or disease, its growth could be stunted. Although compost does suppress plant disease and helps to control pest invasion, it may not be enough. If your problem is aphids or other above-ground pests, spray your plant with a mixture of liquid dish soap and a little vegetable oil and water. The oil helps the solution to cling to the leaves of the plant until the aphids suffocate. Be sure to spray the underside of the leaves. Adding a little baking soda to the liquid helps prevent powdery mildew. Spray the plant with clear water an hour or two later to rinse off the residue. Left on, this could cause leaf burn.

Garden Helpers

• Some garden insects are helpful to plants. Ladybugs eat the aphids that interfere with plant growth. If your garden has too few of these helpful little creatures, you can buy them at various nurseries or at some feed and seed stores. They are also a mail order item. Wasps, aside from their disagreeable nature, are helpful in the garden. They attack malicious pests. According to the Montana State University Extension, most plant diseases are caused by pests or environmental problems such as water stress or soil conditions. If your plant is stunted because of root maggots or other pests that invade the root system, removing the plant from the soil, washing off the roots and replanting in fresh, nutrient-rich soil is often helpful. With careful handling your plant won't suffer any damage. After replanting, be sure to water the plant thoroughly to "seal" the roots.